The beauty of Vietnam as reflected by its women

By Huynh Phuong   October 17, 2020 | 05:00 pm PT
HCMC lensman Cao Ky Nhan captured the daily life of Vietnamese women along the length and breadth of the country.
The beauty of Vietnam as reflected by its women

H’mong women in Mu Cang Chai, a rural district in northern Yen Bai Province, dry corn to make dishes and wine. Corn plays an important part in daily lives of H’mong communities.

The photo is part of the series "Colors of Vietnamese Women's Life" that Nhan shared with VnExpress on the occasion of Vietnamese Women's Day, October 20.

The beauty of Vietnam as reflected by its women

An old lady in Mu Cang Chai smiles against a background of blooming buckwheat flowers.

Mu Cang Chai is not only famous for its terraced rice fields during the rice harvest season in September and October, but also for its blooming buckwheat flower gardens dotting the hillsides.

Year-end is the time when ethnic minority communities in Vietnam's northern highlands harvest buckwheat, a type of grain used to make cakes and wine.

The beauty of Vietnam as reflected by its women

A female barber cuts hair on a sidewalk in Hanoi.

The beauty of Vietnam as reflected by its women

A girl in Hue, a popular tourist town in central Thua Thien-Hue Province, poses in a white ao dai, the traditional Vietnamese long dress.

Hue, Vietnam's former imperial capital, is famous for UNESCO-recognized heritage sites, Huong (Perfume) River, Truong Tien Bridge, and images of women in ao dai.

The beauty of Vietnam as reflected by its women

A mother and son take a rest in a water-chestnut field of central Quang Nam Province.

The beauty of Vietnam as reflected by its women

Ethnic minority women in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum pound rice in an early morning, a typical image when passing through local villages.

The beauty of Vietnam as reflected by its women

Women dry rice paper under the scorching sun in Hoai Nhon District of central Binh Dinh Province, home to famous beach town Quy Nhon.

Rice paper is made from rice flour, dried in the sun and then baked before being left outside to be hydrated by dew. Rice paper is used to make spring rolls with vegetables and meat. Another version of this dish has shrimp, salt, and sesame.

The beauty of Vietnam as reflected by its women

A woman smiles while harvesting grass to feed cattle in Phan Thiet Town of south-central Binh Thuan Province.

“Along with my passion for photography, I often spend time traveling, especially capturing daily lives in the countryside from north to south. Images of women at work are familiar but authentic,” Nhan said.

The beauty of Vietnam as reflected by its women

Four women in conical hats wash pink water lilies in a flooded field of Long An Province in southern Vietnam.

Water lilies are used for decoration and making tea in east and southeast Asia. Their stalks can be eaten raw with fermented paste or braised sauce as dips, or cooked in a sour soup or hotpot.

Women in the Mekong Delta use small boats to pick these water lilies, wash and sell them at local markets. They have been doing this for generations. Water lily season in the delta lasts from early September to mid-November.

The beauty of Vietnam as reflected by its women

A woman dries bricks in Mang Thit brick village, the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long. This brick village is over 100 years old, and is the largest producer of red bricks in the region.

There are still about 1,300 brick kilns in the Mekong Delta, stretching over an area of 3,000 hectares, most of which are located along Thay Cai Canal to the section adjacent to Co Chien River - a branch of the Mekong River.

 
 
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